Taken By Surprise
by ryouko70
Summary: Humorous little story that takes place after the jailbreak. Rorschach doesn't like Daniel's new partner. Follows events in the comic book.


**This follows the events set in the comic book. **

* * *

The three were safely aboard Archie, as the airship pulled up and away from Sing Sing. Daniel and Laurie sat in the front seats, breathing hard as the adrenaline started to go down. Rorschach seemed completely unaffected by what just happened. As he leaned against the bulkhead of the ship, one wouldn't have known that he had just barely escaped from a prison riot. A riot he had started when he had killed one of the other prisoners. Granted, he killed the man in self-defense, but the others didn't see it that way. Not that Rorschach cared.

He reached into the pocket of his prison uniform and pulled out a small green object. He slowly unwrapped the sugar cube. Instinctively, he lifted his left hand to push his mask out of the way before he remembered that his mask had been taken from him. He didn't like being without his "face". He wasn't really Rorschach without it. He was only Walter. And he didn't like being only Walter.

His thoughts were broken by Daniel's voice. "Rorschach. Where did you get that?"

"Found it," he replied, before popping the cube into his mouth. Daniel set the ship to auto-pilot and pivoted in his chair to look at Rorschach.

"In prison? Did you...no, nevermind. I really don't want to know." Though he'd never been in prison, Daniel had heard stories. Men traded or killed for things. He was pretty sure that Rorschach wouldn't trade and didn't want to think about who he killed. Is that why that one man died? Did Rorschach kill him for sugar cubes? No, that couldn't be it. Even for Rorschach that seemed a bit much.

"Kitchen. Don't want scum to not have sugar for their coffee. Took extra." He unwrapped and popped another cube into his mouth.

It was quiet in the airship while Rorschach munched on the cube. During this time, he stared at Laurie, who still sat in the extra seat. She tried to ignore him, but after a couple of minutes, it was getting to be very uncomfortable. _Creepy little man._ But then his eyes shifted to Daniel and Laurie started to relax a little. That is, until Rorschach broke the silence. "Nice to see you in uniform again, Daniel. Disappointed that you partnered with a whore."

"Ror-"

"Whore!" She jumped out of the seat, hand clenched. "Ha! That's rich coming from a sexual deviant!"

Daniel saw Rorschach's body twitch. "Laurie," he began.

"Don't give me that, Dan! You saw the interview! He made sexual advances on his landlady!"

"Ms. Shairp? Hurm." Daniel saw Rorschach's hands clench into fists and positioned himself between the two. Rorschach lifted his eyes, looking at Daniel. "Never." His words were soft, so soft they were almost not heard over Archie's humming. "Not a sexual deviant."

Daniel raised his hands in a placating manner. "I know, Rorschach, buddy. I never believed it. I know you."

"No one knows me."

"Well, yeah. But I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't do that. I know you've never bee-" Daniel clamped his mouth shut. He feared that he might have just made things worse. They had never talked about Rorschach's lack of experience with women, so Daniel had no idea how he'd react. He just hoped that Laurie didn't catch his slip of tongue. Unfortunately, Laurie was a smart girl and quick on the uptake.

"Wait. You've never..." She gave a short laugh. "Well, considering how you smell, I guess it's not surpassing that you're a virgin!"

"Laurie, please," Daniel pleaded over his shoulder.

"Not bothered by what you say." Rorschach reached into his pocket and pulled out another sugar cube. He unwrapped it and popped it in his mouth. "Not bothered by what you do."

"Oh, really?"

Daniel momentarily put his hand over his eyes and inwardly groaned at the tone in her voice. The tone that said, 'challenge accepted'. Laurie walked around Daniel and toward Rorschach. The smaller man continued to lean against the wall of the ship, but Daniel could see that he had tensed up. Daniel readied himself for the inevitable fight. Ready to pry one off of the other.

Rorschach watched as Laurie walked up to him. He was ready for a punch or slap. He was not ready for what actually happened. When she was face to face with him, she grabbed his head with both hands and kissed him. Not a light little peck on the lips. This was a no-holds-barred kiss that had brought other men to their knees.

Daniel watched in fascinated horror as his lover kissed his friend. Rorschach's eyes were wide open, a look of horror and disgust clearly seen in them. His hands twitched, finger gouging into the bulkhead, as if trying to dig his way through the wall and away from the woman.

After what seemed like an eternity, she pulled away. She licked her lips and smirked. "You should cut down on the sugar." She walked smugly back to the extra seat. She pivoted the chair around and looked out the window.

Rorschach scraped the back of his hand over his mouth, glaring at Laurie's back. "Slut."

"Prude," she said, nonplussed, from the chair.

Daniel lifted his goggles off his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. This was going to be a very long night.


End file.
